Vocalist PETER DOLVING: Why I Left THE HAUNTED

Former THE HAUNTED frontman Peter Dolving has posted a lengthy statement on his Facebook page in which he attempts to explain his reasons for leaving the band in February of this year. He writes in part, “I left THE HAUNTED back early this spring because I had fucking had it with dysfunctional bullshit.

“The day the Björlers [guitarist Anders Björler and bassist Jonas Björler] decided to tell tell us about the AT THE GATES ‘farewell tour’ (the farewell tour now on its third year), we were releasing and promoting ‘Versus’.

“They told us that they would only do 14 shows. They are still touring….

“They have really cashed in to the fullest. Good for them. It’s good to have money in a capitalist world.

“[Guitarist Patrik] Jensen is the one who saw clearly what was up.

“The moment they told us, his response was, ‘You know this is going to kill THE HAUNTED.’ The twins were both extremely defensive about it, and now we know why. They were lying out their ass.

“Jensen ain’t no dumb-ass. He made another WITCHERY record, toured like a sonofabitch with his project and got a degree in the meantime.

“Good for him.

“It’s good to have a degree in a capitalist world.

“I caught on slower, but I figured it was fucking ridiculously slow that making ‘Unseen’ took 2 years. I must have written 40 fucking songs for that record. Every time I presented something, it wasn’t ‘played well enough to really hear what’s going on’ or ‘it’s not THE HAUNTED.’ Jonas presented some amazing ideas. But there was no heart.

“I am not a very cheerfulful person. I prefer working to hanging out. Because I love my work more than I love people. I don’t lie or pretend it’s any other way. But anyone who knows me will testify that I am not a lying, unloyal, uncaring, indifferent fucking prick whose emotional incapacities render me void of treating people respectfully.

“Rock and roll for me is about love, hate, life and how we live it. It’s vivid, aware, right here. Indifference and shutting each other off is the diametric opposite. Watching your back because you care more about your pension plan than your fellow travellers, avoiding confrontations because one is lazy and a coward, etc., is just not fucking cutting it.

Previously a vocalist for MARY BEATS JANE, Dolving joined THE HAUNTED in 1997 and sang in their debut self-titled album. In 1998, he left the group to concentrate on a band called ZEN-MONKEY but returned in 2003 following the departure of Marco Aro (the vocalist which took over Dolving‘s spot after Peter‘s 1998 exit). He has since appeared on the studio albums “Revolver” (2004), “The Dead Eye” (2006), “Versus” (2008) and “Unseen” (2011).

THE HAUNTED‘s seventh studio CD, “Unseen”, sold around 1,200 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The effort landed at position No. 33 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

“Unseen” was released on March 29, 2011 via Century Media Records. The CD was once again recorded with longtime producer Tue Madsen (MOONSPELL, DARK TRANQUILLITY, GOREFEST, SICK OF IT ALL) at his Antfarm Studio in Århus, Denmark.